China is ready to further deepen the strategic partnership of cooperation with Russia, said Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan in Beijing Tuesday.

Cao, also vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and state councilor, made the remarks in a meeting with A. Kokoshin, vice president of the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development.

Cao said, in recent years, with the joint efforts of both countries, the bilateral strategic partnership of cooperation has achieved fruitful development with frequent exchange of visits between the two governments and deeper military cooperation.

Developing the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation meets the interests of both countries and the requirements of the current development, said Cao.

"It not only promotes the common development of the two countries, but also sets a good example of friendly cooperation between two big nations of different social systems and creates a new mode of bilateral and multilateral cooperation," Cao added.

Kokoshin said it is an important measure to set up the Sino-Russian Strategic Forum as it provides a platform for academia of the two countries to exchange ideas and helps to step up the Russia-China strategic partnership of cooperation.

He suggested the academia should further strengthen exchange and cooperation in a bid to promote the in-depth development of bilateral relations in such spheres as politics, economy, military and culture.

Kokoshin and his party are attending the first Sino-Russian Strategic Forum which opened in Beijing Monday.

(Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2005)